[DADA] Lesson I: The Labyrinth

[Professor Jackson Shaw]

((SIDE NOTE: Jack hasnt yet told anyone what this lesson is, so no students know yet as its a surprise.))

House Points!
Gryffindor: 20 Slytherin: 20
Ravenclaw: 50 Hufflepuff: 30

(An automatic ten points for any student that shows up)

Partners
(You will find out who you're partnered with once In the Labyrinth)

Adding the finishing touches onto the transport pad like Dan told him too, Jackson began preparing for the first lesson. He knew today was going to be a good lesson and he thought the students would enjoy it too. Obviously they couldnt go rushing right into the Labyrinth before they knew anything about it so Jack would have to explain once his class got here. The young professor would be lying if he said he wasnt nervous, it was his first lesson alone and he didnt want to mess it up. Throwing a sheet over the Transport Pad, Jackson stood infront of it, waiting for his class to show up so he could explain what the Labyrinth was like, he couldnt let his students go in completly unprepared could he?

Walking back over to his desk, he picked up a small device that resembled a walky talky. "How's things in there?" He said into it, hearing a few crackles he assumed that meant a 'Everything is fine' from his over excited accomplice. Placing the comm down, Jack picked up his morning coffee and leant against his desk. More than ready to get his lesson under way.

[Via Thorn]

Defence against the dark arts lessons, something Via was proud to be a part of. Although having a slytherin side of the family was considered bad, she was blessed being a Parseltongue, much to the hatred of her father side of snakes. How her wacky father could be from that side, she would never understand, but Via was a kind heart, and she knew even though they were all evil shells, they had a heart in them somewhere, even if it was having irregular beating patterns.

Kissing Arnie her natterjack toad goodbye, she wagged a finger at him.
"Leave them girls alone today, they are sick of cleaning slime off their mirrors. Your getting me in trouble!" she said before smirking and walking out the dorm.
Flinging her cream shoulder bag over herself, she clutched at a few books in her arms and walked absentmindedly down the corridors to the DADA classroom. Professor Shaw, was a cutiepie, and she remembered Jackson when he was a year or so older than her, he always excelled in DADA and now he was the professor, he must of been talented.

Pushing open the door, she peered round, not expecting it to be empty. Seeing the professor at the desk, she gave him a smile and made her way to her usual desk.
"Hi Ja-, I mean Professor" she stutted.

[Professor Ashton Laurent]

Ash entered the room with an excited smile, DADA was another one of his favorite classes, and he couldn't wait to get started! "Morning professor." he said, French accent thick today. Ash stood near the door, but not too close, to await the others. He noticed Via was there as well, "Hey Via." He turned back to Proffessor Shaw, "So, what's the lesson plan for today?" He hoped it was something exciting! The old teacher had been very good, but the lessons weren't very exciting. Maybe with Professor Shaw that would change...

[Alice Simmons]

Defence Against the Dark Arts was a very sensible lesson to take in Alice’s opinion, it taught you how to defend yourself against the evils in the world and for someone with an overactive imagination like Alice Simmons that was vital. Over the years Dax had told Alice to always be prepared when going to a DADA class as you never could know what you were going to be facing that day and he had also given her a small hint that Professor Shaw had asked him to help round up a few creatures from the forest. With this in mind Alice had spent all night wondering what to pack in her bag, it was her very special bag as Professor Hubbles himself had gone around all the first year Hufflepuff’s making their school bags bottomless so they could fit endless amounts of stuff in it…and that was just what Alice needed.

Making her way to the first floor Alice hurried up the steps and down the long corridor, past the other classrooms and through the open door into the classroom. Professor Shaw was standing at the front sipping on his coffee and there was only two other students in the room with him. Frowning slightly Alice made her way in and offered the teacher a small smile before dropping into an empty seat next to her fellow Hufflepuff Via.

Her mind was whirling with the possibilities of the lesson that they might have at hand, the room seemed rather empty, apart from a bed sheet covering something on the floor and an old fashioned walkie talkie on the desk. With a small shrug Alice placed her bag on the floor and sat patiently wondering if Marcus would show or not.

[phantom]

Adam walked into the room, a smile on his face. It had been another long year, but it had also been one of the best. He was getting married at the end of the year to the most beautiful girl in the world, and he had just come into his inheritance. How much money he actually had, he had no clue!

Smiling, he greeted the professor, "Buongiorno signore. Che cosa c'è di lezione di oggi?" Belatedly realising that he had been speaking in Italian he laughed, "I'm sorry sir, allow me to translate. Good morning sir, what is today's lesson?" he asked, still blushing.

He noticed the other students and gave them a smile as well, "And good morning to you as well!"

[Polaris Stormwrath]

Defense Against the Dark Arts, what a class. At first, she was nervous to even sign up. The Dark Arts? Polaris had known from a small age that this was something never to mess with, lest she get on the bad side of Thor's favour. Never the less, she knew that this wasn't the Dark Arts itself, but simply how to defend yourself against them. Good, good. Nothing to worry about she thought to herself as she entered the classroom.

With a smile and slight wave, the Ravenclaw greeted the Professor silently. She had a lot on her mind that contributed to her silence. Though, that would soon change. Polaris walked over to the empty desk that was near Via and sat down, greeting her with a smile as well. "Hei Via, how goes it?" Keeping her head high and smile always on her face, she had hoped to Thor that no one noticed that she was nervous.

[Jason Walker]

This was it. This was what he had been waiting for. Even if he had taken and completed the course in Durmstrang, he was still excited and signed up for the one here at Hogwarts. Defense Against the Dark Arts was the perfect class for him to be taking right now. He only needed one more class to continue on with his Auror training. Granted he only had a few more lessons to be taught, Jason still couldn't be any more happier.

With a grin plastered on his chiseled features, the Slytherin strode into the room, obvious that this boy would be running the class if there had not been a teacher there. Jason nodded and greeted the Professor politely before taking an empty seat in the front right corner of the room. He needn't be near those weaklings, especially if they were actually going to practice 'defense'. [/color]

[Via Thorn]

As Via was about to start speaking to Jackson, the door opened up once again and revealed the ever cute Alice Simmons. Via knew all her Hufflepuffs, you never know when you wanted to chat with them and not knowing their name was rather embarrasing, for her anyway. Greeting the younger year with a smile, she patted the seat next to her so she would come sit with her.

"Hey Alice, i've not seen you around for a while!" she said in surprise. Still, the kid probably felt weird hanging out with older people, so maybe Via had just overlooked her, literally. As Via began to think on how funny they must look sat together, a small girl compared with a 5'10" one, the door opened again and Via swung her head round as she heard her name again.
"Oh Ashton, hey, you shocked me a little bit then!" she giggled, placing her hand on her heart.

Polaris soon joined the ranks and Via's face brightened up. As Polaris sat on the desk next to her, Via placed her hand on Polaris' desk and leant over.
"Hey Polaris, how are you? Isn't he cute?" she whispering whilst pointing to the professor. Of course, calling him professor when he was just a year older than Via was strange enough in itself, but the fact she used to attend some classes with him was the strangest part of all.
A slytherin entered, and as Via being herself was about to greet him with a smile, he soon made a swift exit away from the congregation and sat on the opposite side of the room. Frowning a little, she forgot slytherins were how they were for a split second, before turned back around to the front of the class.

[Polaris Stormwrath]

Polaris tiled her head and looked towards the Professor with bi-coloured eyes shimmering. A wide grin soon made it's way onto her lips once noticing what Via was talking about. Not being able to help it, she gave a soft laugh and turned back, nodding. "Aye, he is! Oh.. and that Slytherin isn't too bad either. I've ran into him a few times before. Surprisingly, he's quite polite and charming but keeps believing that everyone will bring him down if he so much as speaks to them. So odd. Cute, but odd."

[daphne]

Daphne slowly made her way down from the Astronomy tower feeling slightly empty without taking any form of books with her. On the class signup it had said all she needed was a wand as so that was all she had brought. No bag, no parchment and no books…this was going to be a very different lesson. The corridors were rather busy but without anything to hinder her she was able to slip past people and push her way through the crowds without having to worry about her bag splitting and books spilling out of her hands, it did make a very nice change.

It seemed a very long walk to the first floor corridor and for Defence Against the Dark Arts that was normally a journey she did not like to make but today was different. For once Daphne was exited about this lesson as there had been so much talk about it, whispers in the library and Common Room where hard to avoid and the Ravenclaw had great expectation about this lesson and she hoped it would live up to it.

Pushing open the door she noticed that there were already a few people sitting patiently in their seats waiting for the new, young and rather attractive professor to debrief them on what was actually going to happen. Taking up an empty seat slightly away from everyone else Daphne withdrew her wand and placed it carefully on the table in front of her and simply waited for the lesson to begin.

[Sarie Thimble]

Sarie couldn't wait they just gotten a new DADA teacher and today was the first lesson. She had every thing she needed her wand and her well sorta wits. She walked into the room and noticed that there were a lot of people already there. She waved to Polaris and Ashton.

She looked at the teacher he was standing in front of something covered in a sheet. She wondered what it was. She had noticed partners was written on the board but with nothing under it. She hoped she got some who like her.

[Shaun Zinn]

Defense Against the Dark Arts was always a favorite among students, Shaun included. He had heard the old professor, Kenna, had left to teach at Beauxbatons and the apprentice, Jackson Shaw, had taken over. Kenna's lessons were always fun and Kenna was always a teacher you could talk to, then again, Jackson was Jackson and he was someone that could relate to the students, he was closer to their ages, or so Shaun heard.

The door was shut but that didn't mean the classroom was empty. He could hear the voiced of students already inside. Pushing the door open, an assortment of colors hit his eyes. At least one student from each house had shown up, it was pretty unusual actually. A familiar head of hair caught his attention and he strode over in her direction. Of course it was Via, who else could it have been? He took the desk behind her and leaned over, resting his chin on her shoulder.

"If it isn't my favorite older woman," he said with a cheeky grin.

It wasn't abnormal to see Shaun messing around with Via, they were in the same house after all. The thing with Via was her amazing personality. She was always able to get along with just about everyone making her a great friend. He remembered the way she had befriended him when he was just a first year and she a third year.

Sitting back in his chair, he stared up at the professor. For some reason, Professor Shaw had an eager expression on his face which usually meant trouble. Shaun was excited to be in class for once.

[Angelique Juliette]

Lord had she taken heat for this. Her parents requested to find out every course she signed up for. So when her name appeared on the list to take DADA her father got wind and an owl arrived the very next day with a howler. Lucky for her she was alone in her room when she opened the bright red envelope. Expletives and several of them were flung at her like dirt over a casket. Angel was used to it so she simply sat on the edge of her bed waiting for it to stop. He ended it all by demanding she drop the course. Angel simply laughed, her parents had already paid for the term and there wasn't really much they could do about it. She was grown now and would do as she pleased that included taking this course.

So bright and early she dressed and left the common room walking along the halls she heard whispering, she normally did when it came to students from other houses most of them she harassed at some time or another so they were probably plotting on how to get her back. She simply smirked and kept walking.

The classroom was already filling up pretty good turn out for it, so good in fact there was another Slytherin seated. Angel knew Jason and was happy to see him there. No question where she would be sitting. "Hey there walker how's it going?" she asked her mate cheerfully. "Looking forward to this too?"

[Jason Walker]

Jason smiled faintly as he saw Angelique seat herself next to him. "Of course, just as everybody here is as well. How about yourself?" He asked, tilting his head to the side curiously. While waiting for her reply, the Slytherin took this time to look about the room, now noticing how many people had actually signed up. Kids from all four houses were buzzing around the room, much to his disgust. But after all, this was a public class. Hazel eyes then landed on the Professor, taking in every bit of detail about him.

"I can tell this is going to be an interesting course, to say the least. I'm guessing partners are to be announced soon as well as some sort of surprise, judging on no teaching materials and the smirk on the Professors face.." Jason said lowly so that only Angelique could hear. A strange thing about the boy, he was always somehow grazing on the events of the future. Of course, he never bothered to explain, simply played it off as guessing. [/color]

[Professor Jackson Shaw]

Jack was pleasantly surprised to see who turned up. Ticking off each name as they entered the room, the air full of excitement, Jack too was looking forward to seeing how this lesson turned out. Grinning at Via, he had to remember he was a professor now so he had to treat everyone equal. Rubbing the back of his neck he laughed, "Bah, Professor makes me sound old." He joked, "Seriously I'd tell you all to call me Jack but in the classroom I think that would be considered innapropriate, unfortunatly." Though seeming to think for a moment, he smiled, "Ah, call me Jack. I dont think I could stand this Professor Shaw lark." It was strange to think that just last year he was sitting in the same classes with people in this room who he was now teaching. Though he didnt have much time to dwell on it when someone came in spouting italian at him, "Eh?" Jack asked, wrinkling his nose at the boy he knew to be Adam. "Oh. Uh. Thats alright. But please dont do it again, Im not Italian and I really dont understand a word of it."

Clapping his hands together with a soft shout of "Right! Onwards we go." Flicking his wand, a 3D image came out the tip, "This is today's lesson. The Labyrinth." He smiled, though soon his smile faded and he grew serious. Jack liked to have a joke, but when it came down to the actual lesson, Jack knew he had to be serious. "All of you will be divided into pairs, and to get through this Labyrinth you have to work together with your partner or you wont get very far. The Labyrinth is designed to test you, you will have to use every ounce of intelligence in you and be on guard all the time." Raising a finger, he looked around, "Now even I dont know who will be paired with who. The Labyrinth decides upon the partners, it decides who it thinks will work best together so do not moan to me if you do not like your parter, that is of no concern to me. Each pair will begin at a completley different part of the Labyrinth and there is only one goal. Reach the Castle at the Centre of the Labyrinth." Smiling he added, "Sound easy? Dont be fooled, there have been creatures placed in there, all different kinds ranging from flobberworms to dragons. Plus trick steps, and remember. The Labyrinth is never as it seems, it constantly changes to make it harder for you. Marking your way will be pointless."
"Some creatures have been placed in there with the simple want to help you on your way. Others will attack straight off and some trick you into believing that they want to help you, but set you back to the beginning or lead you someplace else entirely. Whatever you do make sure you make the right choices" Jack looked around, glad to see he had everyones attention. "Once you get into the Castle, it becomes harder. The castle is harder to beat than the Labyrinth." Pulling off the sheet from the transporter he smiled, "You will be looking for the exact same thing as this in the castle. The first couple back get a prize. Also..." He smirked, then laughed and had to compose himself, "Beware of Headmaster Daniel Hubbles. I believe he has gone a little insane and is running around with a bedsheet over him thinking he is a ghost, doing anything in his power to deter and scare you. Feed him sweets, answer his puzzles. Be careful around him. He is in there to make things more testing, we want to see what you are made of."

Stepping out of the way of the teleporter, he smiled. "Now, let us begin."

Partners are as follows:
Jason Walker - Slytherin & Via Thorn - Hufflepuff
Ashton Laurent - Ravenclaw & Sarie Thimble - Gryffindor
Polaris Stormwrath - Ravenclaw & Alice Simmons - Hufflepuff
Alexis Heart - Ravenclaw & Shaun Zinn - Hufflepuff
Daphne Morgan - Ravenclaw & Cris Martinez - Ravenclaw
Adam Mocenigo - Gryffindor & Angelique Juliet - Slytherin
Erys Grace - Slytherin & Bryn Kennedy - Gryffindor
Morgana Croft - Slytherin & Jase Tyler-Wilde - Gryffindor

Remember, each couple been transported to a different location of the Labyrinth.
Any late comer will have to report to Jackson to be transported into the Labyrinth and be united with your partner.
If you are a new comer, you will have to fair alone, and be at a disadvantage until a parter is assigned to you.